CRISPR-Cas9 as a Potential Tool for Precision Medicine: Challenges and Future Directions

Abstract

The recent discovery of CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary gene-editing technology has served as a game-changer in biomedical research since it provides a certain level of precision never before possible in genome editing. In an effort to almost perfectly target specific genetic conditions, CRISPR, as an enabling technology, has a lot of promise in rectifying genetic conditions, refining treatment delivery, and personalizing treatment decisions based on an individuals genetic signature. The present paper examines how CRISPR-Cas9 can be used in precision medicine, outlining its transformative power, limitations and the issues that characterize the use of such a technology in clinical practice. In spite of its effectiveness in preclinical models, safety concerns of off-target effects, ethical issues, and delivery problems continue to present obstacles to the widespread application of its use in clinical settings. The paper contains further detail of progress towards greater specificity and efficacy of CRISPR, along with a detailed overview of where the technique is already used or is anticipated to be used in terms of personalized medicine in the future. The other important considerations including safety, regulatory frameworks, and acceptance that have been raised in the context of clinical translation of CRISPR are also discussed. The proposed research area seeks to illuminate on the ways in which CRISPR-Cas9 may be idealized to be used in a clinic setting as it walks through the intricacies of applying the same to genetic illnesses. The discussion is ended with a glance of future outlook of CRISPR in precision medicine, in regard of whether it could help in treating complex diseases such as cancer, genetic andmultifactorial conditions.